The Choice
by Ferdy 63
Summary: I'm definitely Team Jacob. This is my version of what could have happened between Bella and Jacob right after the events in New Moon. I would love reviews/constructive criticism.
1. Chapter 1

Edward was back. There had been no thought on her part about leaving to save his life. It was the only thing that she could have done. Anything else was unthinkable.

But now, he was sitting in her room, asking for her forgiveness. She could see he was in pain. He wanted to make things right and go back to the way they had been before.

A part of her wanted to jump into his arms and just forget the past few months, but there was still so much hurt in her soul from what she had gone through. She could still remember all the nights she woke up crying out his name or screaming from the pain of missing him. It wasn't going to be simple or easy to forget all that.

"Edward, I do still love you. I'll always love you but you really hurt me. I didn't understand what I'd done or why you were so cold towards me. It nearly killed me," she told him through her tears. "I know, Bella. I thought I was protecting you. I knew it would hurt you but I honestly thought it was for the best. I was hurting too, being away from you. It was wrong, so wrong. I should have told you the truth," he whispered in an agonized tone. Bella hugged her knees tightly to her chest and hid behind her long dark hair, "I need time, Edward. I need to figure some things out." Edward stiffened and uttered in a low growl, "You mean things with that dog. Bella, he's dangerous. You don't know." Bella jerked her head up, "What I know, Edward, is "that dog" is the one who's been here for me, who's protected me and kept me safe and sane while you walked away. I trust him with my life. I will see him when I want and you have no claim or control over any part of my life any more."

Edward could only stare at the ground. "If that's how you want it, okay, but I'm not giving up. Not ever," he said just before disappearing out her window. Bella sat staring at the spot Edward had just left. She had really believed that he was the one and only love of her life for a while, but now things were so confusing. Jacob had become her best friend but also more. She loved him and she knew he loved her. He hadn't imprinted on her but he had made his feelings known. That night in the kitchen after her crazy cliff diving experiment, she had finally realized that her feelings for him were so much more than friendship. If the call from Edward hadn't come at that exact moment, she was sure they would have become a couple by now.

She didn't regret leaving Jacob to save Edward but she did regret hurting Jake that way. She had called several times since returning to Forks but he wasn't responding to her pleas to talk. She decided that the only way was to confront him personally, and she would make the trip first thing in the morning. She would make him see that she hadn't left him behind.

She was up early and headed out to the reservation. She knew Jake would probably be sleeping after running with the pack during the night. It would be the perfect time to catch him at home. What she hadn't expected was the whole pack waiting for her in his yard when she arrived. "Hi guys," she said as she stepped down from the truck, "just here to visit Jake." There were a few low growls so she kept her distance. "Bella, Jake doesn't want to see you. You made your choice to go back to the bloodsuckers. You need to leave, NOW." Bella took a step back. She didn't want to antagonize any of the guys and cause them to phase. "I know I hurt him," she offered, "That's why I'm here. I want to explain and to apologize and just so you know, I'm not back with the bloodsucker." That drew a couple of big grins from the pack members, "Really! Well, maybe you do need to go see our boy. Good luck, Bella, and stay back a few feet when you're explaining. Jake's been pretty angry." She shook her head in agreement and watched as they walked away.

Bella knocked on the door but no one answered. Billy must have been out. She wasn't sure whether it was right or not, but she had to see Jake, so she pushed the door open and went in. She could hear his soft snoring even before she opened the door to his room. He really was beautiful. She walked carefully to his bed and touched her fingertips to the hair falling across his forehead. He jerked awake grabbing her wrist in a tight hold. She pulled back, "Jake, it's me. Sorry. I shouldn't have startled you." He let her go as quickly as he'd grabbed. "I'm sorry, Bella. I wasn't expecting you. You should never sneak up on a sleeping wolf, you know." They both smiled. He could always make her smile.

"So what are you doing here?" he asked. She sat on the edge of his bed and started trying to explain, "When I left, it was because I had to. He would have died, Jake, if I didn't go. I couldn't let that happen, but it doesn't mean that everything is back to normal with him if there is such a thing as normal when you're talking about vampires. I thought for a long time that everything would be okay if he would come back, but then it started to be okay even without him, because of you." He was looking at her so intently. "Jake, I told him and now I'm telling you. I don't know right now what I want or maybe I'm just too afraid to take another chance. I just don't want to be hurt again," she told him through her streaming tears.

Jake reached and placed his palm against her face and turned her to face him. He leaned his forehead against hers, "Do you remember what I said to you that last night? Que Quowle. I meant it. I still do. It means stay with me forever." Bella couldn't stop herself. She wanted his touch, his lips. She slid closer and leaned in until their noses were touching. "Kiss me, Jake," was all she had to say. His lips were on hers, their mouths and breaths mingling. He was so warm, so very warm. Before she even realized it, she was lying next to him on his small bed, their hands exploring, their breath coming faster. She wanted him and it was obvious that he felt the same way, but she was also a little afraid.

"Jake, I haven't done this before." She whispered feeling very shy suddenly. "Neither have I,"he said, "but I think we can figure it out." Then his hands were pulling up her shirt and their bare skin was touching. It felt so perfectly right being here with Jake. She didn't have to worry about holding back so he wouldn't lose control. It was exactly where she wanted to be and it was perfect. She didn't think about the whole wolf telepathy thing until later as things were reaching a fever pitch between them. The sound of howling could be heard all through the reservation, she was sure. She smiled and hid her face against Jake's neck in total embarrassment. But then he whispered, "No secrets between wolves, remember. It just means they're happy for me, for us."

Bella wasn't sure how long they lay in each other's arms but Jake finally said, "My Dad'll be home soon. We should probably get dressed." Bella hated the idea but she didn't want to be caught in a compromising situation by Charlie's best friend.

They got up, dressed and Jake announced he was starving so she offered to make him breakfast. "Got you playing homemaker already," he teased. "Yeah, right, keep dreaming wolfman," she replied. As she stirred the scrambled eggs in the pan, he came up and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Hey, uncoordinated person working over a hot stove here," she warned, but he just held tighter and kissed the top of her head.

About that time, Billy rolled in with Charlie tagging along behind. They had spent the morning at a favorite fishing spot and were returning with a nice catch of trout. Both looked shocked but happy at the scene before them. Bella didn't know what to say. Her Dad had grounded her after she had flown off to Italy with Alice. "Dad, I know I'm not supposed to be here, but I had to talk to Jacob and I'm sorry. It won't happen again," she promised. Her Dad looked somewhere between amazed and amused and was about to say something when Jake volunteered, "Charlie, it's my fault that Bella broke your rules. I was being stubborn as usual and wouldn't go to your house and she…" Charlie interrupted, "Look, I know I should be acting like an angry Dad right now but I've kinda been hoping for you two to get back on speaking terms so I'm okay with this – just no more sneaking out, Bells." She nodded and smiled.

"Hey, is something burning?" Billy asked. "Oh, no, the eggs," Bella yelled as she hurried back to the stove. The eggs hadn't actually caught fire but might as well have. They were completely inedible. "Well, one more thing I suck at," Bella mumbled, but Jake was standing right behind her and whispered, "I can promise that there's one thing that you do very well." Bella was sure she was blushing to the tips of her toes and she pushed her hand playfully against his chest. It was like pushing a brick wall.

She could feel the heat traveling from his body into her hand and when she looked up into his eyes, the heat she saw there caused very nice sensations in other parts of her body as well.

They didn't realize that Charlie and Billy were standing in the doorway watching the whole scene between them. When they did notice, both men starting looking everywhere but at them and talking about having some fish to clean and heading back outside.

Jacob laughed, "Those two look like the cat that ate the canary." Bella agreed, "Yeah, I think they've been hoping for this since I moved back to Forks." Jacob leaned down and kissed her gently, "Oh, Bella, I've been hoping for this since the first time I saw you when we brought you the truck. I love you."

Bella was overwhelmed by what he had said. She cared for Jacob so much and he was definitely sexy and desirable. There were just too many thoughts racing around in her head. Edward had said those exact words to her and look how that had turned out. Jacob cupped his hand to her chin, "It's okay. You don't have to say anything. I just want you to know. When you're ready, if you're ever ready, to say it back to me, I'll be here."

There were tears in her eyes, "Jake, I don't want to hurt you, not anymore. I just can't promise anything right now. You're the best friend I've ever had but then what just happened between us was so great. I want to be able to say it back but when I do I want to mean it with no reservations or doubts. Do you understand?" He nodded and then kissed her again.

They spent the next couple of hours sitting outside listening to Charlie and Billie telling fish stories. It was past noon before Billy had the trout sizzling. They all had lunch together and then Charlie told Bella it was time to head home. "Well, I've got my truck here so I'll follow you," she told her Dad. "Okay, then," Charlie said as he climbed into his police cruiser. Bella gave Jake a quick peck on the cheek and then drove off behind her Dad. She was smiling and felt truly happy for the first time in months.

Suddenly there was a thud from something dropping into the truck bed. She knew it was Edward. Before she could even turn to look, he was climbing in the passenger side door.

She could see the rage in his face, "How could you do that, Bella? You were with that, that Dog! I'll kill him for touching you. Was it just to hurt me, to show me how you felt when I left, is that what this is about?" Bella was enraged by his accusations. She screeched the truck to a stop on the shoulder of the road.

"How dare you! How dare you question anything I do? This is my life. You made it pretty clear by leaving that I wasn't the most important thing in your life. I guess I was just your little pet like Laurent told me before Jake had to kill him. I don't answer to you and if you lay one finger on Jake, the treaty will be breached and the wolves won't stop until they've killed you and your family. I told you that I didn't know if I could forgive you, Edward, and I still don't. Right now, I feel like Jake is all I have keeping me centered. He makes me happy. I know that hurts you and I'm not trying to do that. I'm just being honest. You were what I lived for but then you left. I stopped living for months. Jake brought me back to life. I don't know what else to say to you right now. I'm trying to find those feelings I had for you before but when I look at you, all I can see is the pain you caused me. You told me yourself that I don't belong in your world and maybe that's true. I'm sorry, Edward. I'm so sorry. I don't want to hurt you."

He sat like a statue for several minutes. She had never seen an expression on his face like the one he now wore. "I messed up very badly. I know that. Will you just give me a chance to make it up to you? Will you let me take you out tomorrow night? Wherever you want to go – a real date. I'll court you like I would have done in my old life. I'll show you what you mean to me. And you're right, I don't have any right to question your choices or make demands of you. It won't happen again. What do you think, about tomorrow?"

Bella had sat and wiped away tears as Edward spoke. "I don't know, Edward. I just… I feel like I'm being torn in half. I can't have both of you but I don't want to lose either one of you. I don't know what to do but okay, I'll go. Just a date, that's it. Pick me up at 7:oo and we'll go to our spot in Port Angeles for mushroom ravioli." Edward smiled, "Deal," and then he was gone in a flash.

That night Bella dreamed she was in a large meadow. Edward stood on one side surrounded by his family and the Volturi. Jacob stood on the other side surrounded by his wolf pack. No matter which way she chose, there would be a battle. People that she cared about would get hurt. There was no way to win. She started running. Both groups followed her, calling out her name, "Bella, Bella" and then she woke up to Charlie gently shaking her shoulder, "Bella wake up. You're having another nightmare." She sat up, looking helplessly at him, "Sorry Dad." He sat down on the edge of her bed, "Bells, I thought you were done with nightmares. I thought today that you and Jake seemed happy. What is it?" Bella didn't know how to explain it to her Dad but she needed someone to talk to.

"I am happy with Jake. He's the greatest guy. But Edward is back now and that's all I wanted for so long was just to see him again and be with him. I don't know if I still feel the same way. It's so complicated with Edward and it's so easy with Jake. I don't want to hurt either one of them. What am I going to do?" Charlie looked at her, took her face in his hands, "I can't tell you what to do. You have to decide who's right for you. You probably know who I would pick if I had a choice in this but I'd never try to influence you. Listen to your heart, Bella. That's the only way to know. Your heart already knows. Your head just has to catch up. I love you whoever ends up being my son-in-law and that won't ever change. Now get some sleep." He stood up, blew her a kiss and closed the door. She lay thinking about what he'd said. Your heart already knows. She wished it would pass along the intel already so she could end this heartwrenching process.

The next day, Jake called. He wanted to spend the day with her. She thought about just not telling him about Edward but had decided that she was done with lying. She told him about having a date with Edward. His fury was evident even through the phone but he did his best to stay calm, "Okay, I get it. You test drove me yesterday and now it's his turn. Then you pick the ride you like best." Bella was furious, "God, you two are just alike. How can you even think such awful things about me? I was honest with you and I was honest with him. He knows what happened between us yesterday. He accused me of doing it out of spite – just to hurt him and now you say something like that. You know what? You can just go to hell, Jacob Black. Don't call me again until you can be civil."

It wasn't 20 minutes until Jake showed up at her house. She could tell he had phased and run all the way. He still had that hot wet animal smell which she had never noticed as being completely sexy before. He looked completely ashamed, though, "I'm sorry, Bella. I lost my temper. I know what I said was stupid and wrong. I just, you know I can't stand those blood suckers. It's hard to think about him touching you." She crossed her arms and looked at him, "Don't you think it's hard for him to think the same thing about you? He can see, in your head, everything we did yesterday. You don't have to go through that. Since he had to endure that and hasn't come to kill you yet so I expect you to be as gentlemanly as he is being." Suddenly Jacob doubled over with laughter, "Bella, you have got to be the strangest girl ever. You have a vampire and a werewolf fighting over you and you are expecting us to behave like gentlemen. That's priceless. You're one of a kind. I love you and now I'm leaving. Call me if you want." Bella couldn't help but smile as she watched him jog away, " Oh I definitely want, Jacob Black," she whispered, forgetting his super wolf hearing. He turned and gave her a sly little smile before sprinting away.

Edward arrived promptly at 7. He was dressed quite elegantly although casually. He looked gorgeous. She had only worn her usual faded jeans and a sweater. She felt completely underdressed. But, as always, he told her how beautiful she looked. He took her arm and walked her to the car, making sure to get the temperature just right for her.

He began by asking about her day. She couldn't help but smile, "Are we back to talking about the weather, again, Edward?" He smiled back, "I wish we could go back to that day and start over, Bella. I'd do everything so differently." Bella replied, "I wouldn't change those first days or months for anything Edward. They were perfect, well except for that first day when I thought I smelled bad and you ran out. I fell in love with you because of what we were during those days." He looked at her with deep pain in his golden eyes, "And now?" She only shook her head, "I don't know. It's different now."

Edward changed the subject, talking about Rosalie and Emmett's latest disagreement and Alice's redecorating project. It was easy and funny, like two old friends getting reacquainted. She had missed this, missed him. She told him about Charlie's latest fishing trip and her Mom's most recent mishap with her cellphone. They reached the restaurant where she knew he couldn't eat but he said he enjoyed watching her eat anyway. All through dinner, they kept up polite friendly conversation.

Bella kept remembering the first time they had eaten here, when Edward had told her about his ability to read minds and how he wasn't strong enough to stay away from her.

He had managed to do just that, though, for months. He had stayed away. "Bella, what's wrong?" he asked. "Nothing, just memories," she quickly replied. He reached for her hand, "Good or bad?" She pulled her hand away, "Both. I think I'm finished Edward. Why don't we get out of here?" He called for the check and they were soon back in the luxurious interior of his car.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked. "I don't know, Edward, just drive. Take me somewhere nice that we can talk." He drove with his usual mad speed up the mountain and then onto a dirt road. They pulled up into a clearing that looked out over the Pacific with the moon shining down on the water. "A clear night, unusual for Forks," she remarked. "Now who's talking about the weather?" he asked. He reached for her hand and pulled it to his lips, his ice cold lips. "Bella, we have to talk about this. You know how sorry I am but I can't go back and fix my mistakes. I honestly thought I was doing what was best for you but I can see that I was so very wrong. I still love you. I will always love you. I know you have feelings for Jacob, but can we get back what we had? Can you forgive me?"

Bella had never been averse to how cold his skin was before. She was puzzled by her reaction to his kiss. She listened to his explanations and questions and sat for a long time just looking at him, remembering. She had loved him, more than anything, but there were always obstacles, problems, dangers. If she got a papercut, it was a major ordeal with his family. She couldn't make love to him the way that she wanted. He considered her too fragile, and yet he refused to change her so that she would be more like him.

She could have a life with Edward but it would never feel like she fit with him. It would be like forcing a jigsaw puzzle piece into a slot that it didn't belong. She knew now what Charlie had meant. Her heart was finally revealing the truth to her mind.

"Edward, I will always love you and I do forgive you. I know why you did what you did. I didn't understand it until I found you in Italy but I get it now. You were my first love. I couldn't eat or sleep or do anything except think of you, want you when you were gone. But, I don't know, somehow, at some point, things changed. I changed. I don't want everything to be so difficult all the time. I wish I could tell you what you want to hear. I wish I didn't have to hurt you, but I want to be happy. You're not the one who makes me happy now. I'm sorry."

He had dropped her hand half way through and was staring straight out into the sea. "It's Jacob. You're in love with him." Bella nodded as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Things are simple with him. We're the same, or sort of the same. We fit, Edward."

He gripped the steering wheel so tightly she was sure it would disintegrate in his fist.

"I could always change you and then Jacob wouldn't be an issue for us," he half sobbed. Bella put her hand on his shoulder, "I'm not afraid of you, Edward. I've always trusted you and I still do. You're not a monster." He looked at her, "You're sure?" and she answered, "Yes."

He started the car, turned around and drove her home. He got out, opened her car door and walked her to the porch. "I'll stay out of your way, now," he told her, "but I'll always be nearby if you need me. He kissed her on the forehead. "Edward," she whispered, "You have to promise me one thing." He looked down at her, "Anything." "You have to swear that you won't go back to the Volturi again, ever," she insisted. He shook his head and stroked her cheek, "No, Bella, you're alive and happy. That's all I need. It's not all I want but I can live or at least exist as long as I know that's true." She stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek, "Thank you, Edward, you've made me a better, stronger person than I knew I could be." He turned to leave and just before walking away she heard him say, "Ti amero per sempre" and then he was gone.

Bella walked inside and closed the door. She felt a strange relief but also a sadness that was uncontrollable. She collapsed onto the floor sobbing. Thankfully, Charlie wasn't at home so she didn't have to explain herself. She'd never wanted to hurt Edward. The look in his eyes when she'd told him had been like a stab in her heart.

Suddenly she felt strong arms encircling her and cradling her, carrying her to the sofa. She knew it was Jacob. He was so warm. "Bella, are you okay? Did he hurt you?" he asked. She could feel how hard it was for him to control his rage and stop himself from phasing. She looked up at him, "I'm fine, Jake, and it was me who hurt him." Jake couldn't stop himself from grinning just a bit. "It's awful, Jake, awful,"she said and threw a punch at his chest, forgetting that she'd almost broken her hand the last time she'd tried a similar move. He put up his hand and grabbed hers to keep her from getting hurt. "I know Bella. I'm sorry. It's just instinct between wolves and blood suckers. So what happened?"

She looked down at the floor. Should she tell him? Was she ready for this? It felt right with Jake but what if he ended up hurting her like Edward had done. She didn't know what to do. Then she heard Charlie's words in her head, "Your heart already knows, Bells". She looked up at Jake and it felt like their hearts were beating as one, like they were linked in some way and she knew in both her heart and head. "Edward and I mostly just talked. I made some decisions tonight, Jake, some really hard decisions."

She could see the look of alarm on Jacob's face, "You chose him, didn't you? That's why you're crying. You don't want to tell me." His anger and pain was rising off him in waves. She could see that he would phase soon if she didn't stop him. "Did you hear what I said? I hurt him. I chose you, idiot. He's gone." He looked amazed and reached and grabbed her arms and pulled her back to him, "Are you serious? Are you sure? Bella, is this real? Do you really want to be with me?" She could only mumble against his fabulously muscled chest, "Yes to all those questions." He loosened his grip a bit, "Sorry, didn't mean to smush you." He touched her cheek and stroked his hand down her neck. He pulled her face to his and kissed her so tenderly and deeply. She heard a small moan escape her own lips and then an answering muted growl from Jake. God, he was so hot, both literally and otherwise. She wanted him and without even thinking her hands were soon roaming underneath his shirt.

It was at just that moment that they both heard Charlie's car pull up out front. She knew her face was flushed and her lips were red. Hopefully her Dad wouldn't pay much attention. Jake quickly made his way out the back so he wouldn't be infringing on Charlie's rules.

She quickly turned on the TV and slouched as if half asleep. Charlie was pretty tired and so they didn't talk much before he headed off to bed. She wasn't far behind, heading to her room in hopes that Jacob was waiting for her. She wasn't disappointed.

She had his shirt off in a flash and her hands tangled in his black hair as she kissed him deeply. He lifted her up and gently laid her back on the bed. Their lovemaking was slower, and gentler than the first time but even more intense which Bella would not have believed possible if she wasn't experiencing it. As the lay together, Jacob looked directly into her eyes. It felt like he was looking into her soul, like they were connecting at some level beyond anything she'd ever felt. "I love you, Bella Swan, que quowle." Had he said the words out loud? She hadn't seen his lips moving. What was happening? She was drowning in his eyes. Then she realized, he was imprinting on her. He was tying himself to her forever. Tears swam in her eyes, "Yes, Jacob Black, I love you and I will stay with you, forever."

He stayed with her as long as he dared without getting Charlie's attention. She had never felt more alive or happier. Jacob was hers and she was his. Yes, it had hurt to make a choice. It had been the most difficult thing she'd ever done, but definitely worth the pain it had cost her.

She had to be in class in an hour so she rushed to the shower before Charlie got to it first. She stood in the hot spray thinking of what had happened last night, how it had felt when he had imprinted on her. Her body tingled all over at the thought. "Oh, Jake, you have made me one happy girl," she giggled as she shampooed her hair. Almost instantly, she heard his reply, a long wolf howl. She'd forgotten again about super wolf hearing.

Life was going pretty good again now in Forks. Forever with Jacob had begun last night and she couldn't wait to see what happened next.


	2. Chapter 2

Over the next few weeks Bella and Jacob were almost inseparable except for during school hours. She tried to talk him into transferring from the reservation school but once she thought about the possibility of him phasing when some guy acted like a jerk around her, that idea was scrapped. Life was good, really good, for the first time in quite a while. She and Jacob were happy and so was Charlie, her Mom, Billy, and the other pack members. If only things could have worked out so well for everyone, she thought.

Edward had left school immediately after she broke things off with him. The story was that he had transferred to some school in Alaska. Alice, Jasper, Rose and Emmett were still in Forks living with Dr. and Mrs. Cullen and she saw them at school occasionally. Rose stared at her with such fury that it was frightening while Jasper and Emmett just seemed annoyed whenever they saw her. Alice was another matter. Alice always looked at her with such sadness. It broke Bella's heart. She wanted so desperately to talk to Alice, find out what was happening with the family, to tell her about Jacob. Alice had been one of her closest friends and now she couldn't even call her. It was for the best, she knew, but it didn't make it easier.

One morning in early November, Bella woke up to feel Jake crawling into bed beside her. It had become a habit for him to stop by and climb up to her room whenever he got the chance. She kept telling him that Charlie was going to catch him one day but it was hard to tell him to stop when she wanted him to be there every day as well. She turned in his arms and snuggled against his warm chest. He felt tense. She could sense that something was wrong and looked up at him, "Jacob, what is it?" He looked almost stunned as he told her. "One of the young ones who had just changed, Derek, he was only 12. We found him last night in the woods. He'd been killed, Bella, crushed to death. His throat was torn out. You know there's only one thing that can do that to us."

It took her a moment to even register what he was saying, "You mean… a vampire killed him. But, why? The Cullens wouldn't do that, ever. You know…" Jacob shook his head, "No, we know it wasn't the Cullens. We think it's the redhead again. There was one set of footprints, small like a woman." Bella couldn't believe what he was saying, "Victoria? You think she's back? But why, I'm not even with Edward now. Why would she come back here? There's nothing here for her now." She realized she was crying as she talked. The thought that Victoria could have murdered another member of the tribe because of her was too much.

Jacob pulled her closer, "You aren't with Edward anymore but he still loves you Bella. He always will. She knows that. She still wants to hurt him and you're the easiest way to do that." Bella sobbed into his chest, "Oh, God. I thought all this was over, the killing, being afraid, worrying about Charlie and you. Will it ever be over?" Jacob kissed her forehead and whispered softly, "I'll never let anyone hurt you, my Bella. Never. You don't have to be afraid." Bella held tightly to him for a while letting his warmth and strength calm her. He'd have to leave soon because Charlie would be up but she didn't want to let him go. "Jacob, I know you love me and will protect me but we're going to need help. Victoria is too strong and when she comes for me, she won't come alone. I have to talk to the Cullens," she told him. He grabbed her arms, almost shaking her, "NO, I don't need their help. They are our enemy now Bella." She pulled back from him, "Jacob, you're hurting me. Let go." He instantly released her, shocked at his own actions, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Are you okay? I just…you can't talk to those things. We don't need them in our life anymore."

Bella wasn't really hurt but she was angry, "You are the man I love but not my owner or master. I don't need your permission to talk to people who have always been my friends and been good to me. We need their help and I don't care about your wolfy pride right now. I want us to all be safe. You can't protect me, and Charlie, and the tribe and yourself. The Cullens need to know for their own safety as well. She may be going after Edward or one of the other family members. It makes sense to let them know. I'll call Alice. Edward probably isn't even in town. Just please trust me to handle this. Okay?" She could feel the heat coming off him in waves. He wanted to phase. He was holding back for her sake. "Okay. I guess you're right. I don't like it but I can handle it. I love you, Bella and I trust you but I don't think I'll ever be able to trust the Cullens," he told her finally.

About that time, they heard Charlie stumbling down the hall towards the bathroom.

Bella whispered, "You'd better go or face the wrath of Charlie. I'll see you later." Jacob kissed her and then was out the window and down the tree in a flash. She walked to the window and waved to him as he disappeared into the woods.

Bella reached for her phone to call Alice but before she had even finished dialing, Alice was calling her. She answered and Alice immediately began questioning her, "Bella, what's wrong? I saw you in trouble. What happened? Is it that dog you've gotten so attached to? Has he hurt you?" I should have known, Bella thought, that Alice would already know, "No, it's not Jacob. Alice, she's back. Victoria is back and she killed one of the young tribe members. Jacob thinks she's after me again but it could be that she only wants one of you or Edward personally since we're no longer together. Have you seen her in any of your visions?" Alice gasped at hearing the news, "Are you sure it's her? I haven't seen anything and we haven't detected her on our land anywhere." That was definitely puzzling to them both, "I don't know. Jacob is pretty sure it's her. They found tracks and maybe she's just staying on their land but how is she hiding from you?" Alice sounded worried, "Let me talk to Carlisle. We'll do some checking and get back to you. Are you safe for now? Jasper or Emmett could come protect you." Bella looked down from her window. She could see Jacob and two other wolves hiding deep in the shadows of the wooded area just across the street from her house, "I'm okay. I've got Jacob and the pack. They'll stay with me. Just please call me later and let me know what's happening. And Alice, thank you. I know this isn't easy for you." "You'll always be a friend, Bella. I'll call you tonight," Alice reassured her before hanging up.

Bella didn't really feel like going through a day of school. She'd rather spend it with Jacob where she would feel safe but she knew Victoria wouldn't try anything while she was at school and it would give the wolves some time to investigate further and to get some rest.

She got dressed and headed down to the truck. She opened the door and threw the backpack across the seat. It wasn't until she'd climbed behind the wheel that she noticed something hanging from her mirror. It was a small leather pouch on a braided leather cord. It was the type of thing she had seen several of the young Quileutes wearing – a protective charm. Where had it come from? She reached up to touch it and the back of it felt wet against her fingers. When she pulled them back, there were streaks of what could only be blood on her skin. She grabbed the pouch and pulled it down, turning it over in her hands. The back of it was covered in mostly dried blood but it was still damp in some spots. She realized that this had probably belonged to Derek and whoever killed him had left it for her as a message. Her heart was pounding loudly in her ears as she stepped out of the truck and searched around the area for any sign of who might have left the macabre gift . There were no tracks in the driveway or near the truck. Her eyes went up, looking into the tree tops. Victoria had always loved hiding up in the tops of the tallest evergreens.

Bella's jaw clenched and a tiny cry escaped her lips when she glimpsed for only a brief second the unmistakable red hair as Victoria leapt out of sight. Of course, she had stayed to watch until her package had been found. Jacob was quickly at her side once he realized her panic. He must have kept extra clothes nearby so that he could phase back if needed. He saw the flash of Victoria at the same time she did. He stopped only long enough to ask, "Are you ok?" to which she could only nod. He instructed Seth to stay with her and was off with the other pack members chasing the vampire who had haunted Bella for the past year. She was so shaken that she couldn't drive. She decided to just stay home with Seth. Charlie wouldn't mind if she told him she hadn't felt well. She needed to just sit for a while and she definitely had to call Alice back.

Once inside, Seth started searching room to room to make sure no person or vampire or any other surprises were waiting for Bella. While he did that, she called Alice again, "It's definitely her, Alice. I saw her. She's back." Alice agreed, "Yes, Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper have been out searching since I spoke to you. They caught her scent just faintly near the river that separates our land from the reservation. We've got to try and get a plan together and figure out what's she after this time." Bella quickly replied almost in tears, "Oh, it's definitely me, again." Then she told Alice about the pouch she'd found in the truck. "Bella, she's trying to pull Edward into the fight. She knows he won't allow her to terrorize you without stepping in." Bella agreed, "That's what Jacob says, too. I don't know what to do, Alice. I don't want to hurt him any more but he already knows, doesn't he?" She could hear how much it hurt Alice to talk about him, "Yes, he knows. He's coming back, Bella. He'll be here by tomorrow morning if not sooner. You'll have to see him, let him see the pouch and get her scent so he can track her. We'll need to get a plan together." Bella knew she'd have to see him again but hadn't expected it to be so soon, "I know, Alice. I know," was all she could say.

They made plans to meet the next day at the Cullen's house. Bella would drive there instead of going to school. She didn't know how Jacob was going to handle the news, but it was the easiest way. She'd have a hard time explaining what Edward was doing back in Forks again so soon and why he was visiting her if Charlie should find out.

She and Seth sat watching mindless television shows for a couple of hours until Jacob got back. Bella ran to him and threw herself into his arms. He was still breathing hard from trying to run down Victoria all morning and that animal scent still clung to him. She wasn't sure why but she found him almost irresistible when he was like this, just having changed from his wolf form back into the incredible man she loved. Without even realizing what she was doing, she started nuzzling against his neck and running her hands over his chest. He was responding in all the right ways. Bella suddenly heard Seth clear his throat very loudly and say he had to be going. She ducked her head in embarrassment for a moment or two but as soon as the door closed behind Seth, she wrapped her arms around Jacob's neck and began kissing him. He quickly lifted her off the floor as if she weighed nothing and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He turned and pushed her back against the wall, never breaking their kiss. She was lost in the feel of his skin and his lips when she heard him whisper, "Here?" It took a moment for her brain to register what he was asking but finally she understood, "Upstairs," was all she could manage. He had her up the stairs and in her room in under a minute. For a while, she forgot about Victoria and Edward and anything that was outside the circle of Jacob's arms.

Later, lying in her room with Jacob sleeping next to her, she was trying to figure out how to tell him that she was going to the Cullens tomorrow and Edward would be there as well. He wasn't going to like it no matter how she told him. Her fidgeting around had interrupted his sleep, anyway. He turned to her, smiling his dazzling smile, with his eyes still half closed and drowsy looking. "Hi, gorgeous," he said as he reached for her. She tousled his hair, "Hi, sleepy head. I thought you were going to snooze the whole day away." "Well, I have had a very busy and physically demanding day what with chasing vampires and keeping my woman satisfied," he said with a sly grin. "You did a very good job with that last part by the way," she teased him in return.

"So, okay, what has got you so fidgety? Something is up so go ahead and tell me," he sat up and looked directly at her. Bella squirmed a bit but she knew she had to be honest, "Don't freak or phase or anything because you're not going to like this." He pushed himself up from the bed and went across the room to give himself some space from her. She knew he did it to protect her in case he wasn't able to control his reaction. "Tomorrow morning, I'm going to meet Alice and the rest of the Cullen family at their house to talk about this whole thing with Victoria. They want to plan out a way to catch her and end all this," Bella told him. She could see his anger building but he was in control. "And Alice told me that Edward will be there as well," she quickly added.

At the mention of Edward's name, Jacob almost lost control but he reigned himself in, "You're not going out there alone. I'm going with you." Bella had hoped he would go but it also frightened her to think what might happen if Jacob and Edward were in the same room together, "Are you sure that will be…safe? I mean you have trouble controlling yourself when I just talk about him. Do you think you can actually see him face to face without trying to rip his head off?" Jacob actually smiled when she mentioned ripping Edward's head off which she didn't take as a good sign. He was calm though and told her, "As long as the bloodsucker keeps his distance, I'll be fine. But I don't care what you say or what the Cullens say, I AM going with you." It was decided. Tomorrow morning she and a werewolf would be guests at the home of a family of vampires. Reality had become stranger than fiction a while ago for Bella Swan so she simply took this latest development in stride.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Bella acted as if she were getting ready for any other day at school. Charlie left for work and soon after she headed out for the Cullen's. Jacob had been waiting for her at the truck and insisted on driving. She was still concerned about him being around Edward and the rest of the family but she knew it was useless trying to talk him out of it. To be honest, it felt good knowing he'd be there for support. Seeing Edward again wasn't going to be easy. She wasn't in love with him any longer, but she knew his feelings hadn't changed towards her. She hated knowing that she was hurting him, but her heart was all Jacob's now. She was sitting snuggled against him as he drove. Whenever she was close to him like this, she felt like some missing piece of herself was returned to her, like she was only whole when he was with her. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. He looked down at her, "What was that for?" She brushed his hair with her hand, "I just love you, Jacob." He smiled at her and they drove on.

Alice had been watching for the truck to pull into the driveway. She ran out when they arrived, stopping about 10 feet away with a disgusted look on her face, "Bella, sorry but you definitely **don't** smell good anymore. In fact, you smell as much like a dog as he does." Bella couldn't help but smile. She could feel Jake tensing and took his hand, "Yeah, nice to see you again too, Alice. You know Jacob Black." Alice looked at him, "Oh, yes, I knew he was coming. I've warned the others. I think it'll be okay." Jacob stepped in front of her, "What do you mean, you THINK it'll be okay? Is there a problem?" Alice was a bit stunned but politely replied, "We don't usually interact with 'people' like you. That's all I meant. But, as Bella's friend, you're welcome here too."

Jacob was fighting hard to control his anger, "I don't usually associate with bloodsuckers myself so I guess it's a new thing for all of us." Alice only nodded and turned to walk with them into the house.

Esme and Carlisle met them at the door. Bella couldn't help herself. She hugged them both. They had always been so kind to her and she had missed them. Jacob stood back but kept a wary eye on all of them. Jasper, Emmett, and Rose were all sitting in the living room. All three of them seemed ready to pounce on Jacob at a moment's notice.

He stood directly behind her and she could feel the heat radiating from him. He was fighting hard to stay in control and they all knew it. Alice finally broke the silence, "Edward is upstairs. He didn't want to barge in and surprise you…or anyone else. Is it okay for him to come down now?" Bella turned to Jacob. He looked at her and nodded. She told Alice to call him, but of course, he was already coming down the stairs.

"Hello, Bella, Jacob," he said. He was walking slowly and keeping his distance. He seemed okay, Bella thought, although he looked as tense and agitated as she knew Jacob was. Carlisle asked them to sit but she felt it was better to stay standing with Jake. "Well, let's get started, then," Carlisle said, "Alice has told us about what happened yesterday and about the killing on the reservation. Did you bring the pouch from your truck?" Bella nodded and pulled it out. She had sealed it inside two plastic bags, being aware of how the scent of human blood would affect the Cullens. Even with that precaution, they all tensed at the sight of it. "We'll wait until you leave to open that and investigate further. Will you just place it on the table please?" Bella did as he asked.

Edward spoke, "Bella, we are going to stop her. I..we..won't let her hurt you." Jacob stepped forward, "You don't have to worry about Bella. I'll take care of her." Edward bristled at Jake's intrusion but continued, "We think we can track her and set up some type of trap, then we can kill her. We may need your help, and Jacob's, of course." She was so grateful that Edward acknowledged Jake, "Let me know how we can help," she told him, "I just want to finally be rid of Victoria." Edward looked pained, "It's my fault that she's been after you all this time. I'm sorry for that and for so many things, Bella. I wish…" He stopped. There was nothing more to be said and they both knew it.

Jacob, however, was not appreciating Edward's apology.

Bella could feel how the anger was building in him. He wasn't going to be able to hold off phasing for much longer. The Cullens were all as aware of it as she was. She decided to get him out of there as quickly as possible, "We'll leave the pouch with you. Alice can call me later and let me know if you find anything." When they got to the truck, Jacob asked her to drive. They were barely off the Cullen's land when he told her to stop. He yelled over his shoulder, "I'll see you later," and was changing before he even reached the tree line. He needed some time, she knew, to run with his pack and burn off the anger and tension built up from the morning. It was still early so she decided to go on to school. She had missed enough time over the past few months. She didn't want to have more work to catch up on in order to graduate.

The day went pretty smoothly. A few people asked where she had been but she claimed she had been suffering from a stomach virus and no one questioned her excuse. It was hard to keep her mind on her work, though. She was on pins and needles all day worrying about Victoria's plans. She knew that the ultimate goal in Victoria's mind was to hurt Edward but in the process, a lot of innocent people like the young Quileute boy could get hurt or killed. She wished that she were stronger in some way, a wolf like Jacob or a vampire like Edward so that she could fight with them. Then, she thought, if she were a vampire, she and Jacob would be mortal enemies and that was unthinkable.

She couldn't imagine her life without Jacob now. How was it possible that she had once longed for Edward to change her into a "cold one"? She was so thankful that he had been strong enough to deny her and to leave her human. She was still warm and full of life and in love with a man who could love her exactly as she was, with no holding back. Without Edward's selfless refusal on so many occasions, she would never have known the way it felt to be encompassed by the warmth of another body, to feel the flame of your lover's touch against your skin. Although it had felt like she would break apart when he left, she was grateful that he had given her the chance to live a human life.

She would have to tell Edward that she understood what he'd done and thank him for his sacrifice one day.

When she arrived at home, Jacob was waiting for her. As soon as they were inside, he couldn't keep his hands off her. She wanted to ask him what he'd found out, but his lips and hands were too distracting. Talking would wait until later. Right now, all she wanted was for him to take her upstairs and he knew it without her even asking. She had told him once that he was like his own sun and now she could feel his heat racing through her blood as they made love and then bursting into fiery sparks as their passion peaked. Heaven couldn't be any better than how she felt when she was with Jacob like this.

A little later, once they had both caught their breath, she asked him whether he'd found anything during the day while he was out with the pack. He looked worried, "She's still around. We catch a scent once in a while but can never follow it for long. She's staying in the tree tops a lot of the time. I honestly think she's doing this to try and string us along. It feels like she's got us chasing our own tails. Maybe it's just to keep us busy so we won't notice what she's really up to. It's so frustrating." He turned and pulled her into his arms, "Bella, I will never let her get near you or Charlie. I promise you that I will keep you safe. I can't live without you." She leaned her forehead against his chest, "I know. I'm not worried about her getting to me, Jacob. I worry that she'll hurt you or someone else in the tribe. She's evil and she won't give up. I can't live without you either so don't take any crazy risks, okay? Promise me." He smiled, holding her tighter, "You don't have to worry about me but since I know you won't let it go until I say it, I promise." She smiled back up at him and kissed him, "Good. Now it's probably not a great idea for us to stay like this until Charlie gets home so I think getting dressed is a priority. Then I can make you a sandwich or how about eggs again?" He cringed, "I'll take the sandwich."

Jacob stayed for a while. He even sat around and talked sports with Charlie over a dinner of take out chicken. It felt like they were a family, joking and having fun. Always, though, in the back of Bella's mind lurked the shadow of Victoria. She hoped that the Cullens had been able to track her but she still had not heard from Alice. Would it ever be over? Would they be able to live a normal life (if being in love with a werewolf could even be considered normal)? She wanted to be able to plan a life with Jacob, not worry about someone taking him away from her.

At about 9 pm, Jacob said his goodbyes to Charlie. As she kissed him at the door, he whispered, "Don't worry. We'll be here watching all night." She nodded, almost in tears. He grabbed her hand just before walking away, "It's going to be okay. I promise," and then he disappeared into the darkness . She knew that Charlie could tell something was wrong but he didn't pry. She told him she was tired and headed off to bed early. It was easier to just hide from him rather than trying to stay in his presence and hide her emotions.

Once she was alone in her room, she called Alice. Her call went straight to voice mail which worried her more than a little bit. Alice knew how worried she was. She should have called by now. She got up and looked out her window toward the woods where she knew Jacob was watching. He stepped out enough so that she could see him. She put her hand against the window as if to touch him but the glass was cold, nothing at all like touching Jacob. She lay down, holding the phone, willing it to ring. She didn't think she'd be able to sleep at all because she was so keyed up from the events of the day but eventually she drifted off. Alice never called.


End file.
